William f



(ModeL) W. F. GOSGROVE.

AUTOMATIC STOP PLUG FOR GAS PIPfi I No. 2-88,777. Patented Nov. 20, 1883.

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETE-15. Molnar-( m, Waningmo. o. c.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM F. GOSGROVE, OF. JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC STOP-PLUG FOR GAS-PIPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,777, dated November 20, 1883. Application filed February 10,1883. (Modem gas escaping from broken gas-pipes.

The invention consists in an automatic stopplug for gas-pipes, constructed with a coupling having a socket closed by a screw-cap, and a plug fitting the said socket and supported from" the screw-cap, above the passage through the coupling, by a screw and fusible nut, so that should the temperature rise above the meltingpoint of the said nut the said plug will drop and close the passage through the said coupling automatically, as will be hereinafter fully described.

A represents a coupling, into which are screwed the adjacent ends of two lengths of gas;pipc, G.

In the coupling A is formed a tapering socket, B, into which is fitted a plug, 0. The plug 0 is cast upon the head of a screw, D, which projects from the upper end of the said plug, and passesthrough a hole in the cap E, screwed into the upper end of the socket B.

Upon the screw D, at the outer side of the cap E, is screwed a nut, F, so as to support the plug 0 against the inner side of the said cap E.

The socket B and the plug 0 are made of such lengths that the plug C, when lowered, will close the passage through the coupling A, and when attached to the cap E will leave the said passage wholly unobstructed, as shown in the drawing. The nut F is designed to be made of lead or other metal or composition of metals that will melt when exposed to heat, and may be so made as to melt at any given temperature.

In using my improvement, one of the couplings should be applied to the gas-pipe where it enters the building, and others should be applied to the gas-pipe in various positions, as the arrangement of the building and the distribution of the gas-pipes may require, \Vith this arrangement, should a fire occur and the temperature in the vicinity of any of the coup lings A rise to the melting-point of the nut F, the saidnut will melt and allow thev plug Oto drop and close the passage through the said coupling, and thus prevent any gas from passing beyond the said coupling, so that should the gas-pipes be broken gas cannot escape to feed flames and increase the conflagration.

I am aware that a gas-fitting has been provided with a hollow plug in which is secured, by fusible metal, a ball-valve which drops to its seat in the said fitting and cuts off the flow of gas when the heat is sufficient to melt the said metal, and I therefore do not claim such invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination, with the coupling A, provided with the tapering socket B and the apertured removable cap E, of the plug 0, provided with the screw D, passing through the aperture of the cap, and the fusible nutJBfbn said screw, outside of the cap, substantiallyas herein shown and described.

W'ILLIAM F. GOSGROVE.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES T. GRAHAM,

O. SEDGWIGK. 

